Parachute



Aug. 3, 1937. M. TRICAU PARACHUTE Filed May 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l IM. TRICAU PARACHUTE Aug. 3, 1937.

Filed May l2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 3, 1937 PARACHUTEMarcelle Tricau, Paris, France Application May 12, 1936, Serial No.79,294

' In France May 14, 1935 7 Claims.

This invention relates to parachutes.

Experience has shown that the sail or the.

apparatus in question is subjected to the greatest stresses when itspreads out, and when the parachutist violently checked in his descent'is subjected to what is practically called shock at opening.

These stresses to which the sail is subjected are so violent that theysometimes cause bursting of said sail or the rupture of the shroud linesprovided on the latter for supporting the load hung therefrom. I

It has been found that the importance of the stresses to which the sailis subjected arises from the fact that, upon opening, its lateralextension is violently limited either by the fabric itself, the limit ofelasticity of which is reached a longtime before the sail has been ableto laterally extend sufficiently in order that, in particular, the 0stresses should be less, or by the sennits and shroud lines of the sailwhich still further limit its lateral extension.

The present invention is adapted to remedy these various inconveniencesand to provide sails 25 which, whilst not being liable to tear when theyspread out, have, for an equal surface, a weight smaller than the sailsmanufactured up to now, subject the user or the load to a small shock atopening, and allow speeds of fall much lower 30 than those actuallyattained. g

' For allowing the invention to be more clearly understood, variousembodiments have been described hereinafter, by way of example only, andare illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 7

Fig. 1 is a perspectiveyiew of a first form of construction of a sail atthe time a shock at opening takes place.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same sail when the speed of fall hasapproximately reached 40 its lower limit. Fig. 3 is a partialperspective view of a second form of construction. 7

Fig; 4 is a partial perspective view of a third form of construction.

The parachute which is illustrated in Figs. and 2 of the drawingscomprises a sail which is constituted by panels I in the shape of acurvilinear trapezium the small base of which is arranged towards thepole of the said sail.

5 The side edges of these'panels I are reinforced by sennits 2 sewn oneon the top, the other underneath and which extend, on the one hand, to-

.wards the pole where they are each rendered rigid with the diametrallyopposed reinforcing 55 sennit and, on the other hand, towards theleading edge of the sail where the reinforcing sennits of the adjoiningedges of adjacent panels are rendered rigid, atv a certain distance fromsaid leading edge, witha single shroud line 3; this distance is chosenin such a manner that the sail 5 can spread out to the maximum, that isto say it can even unfold in a plane without said sennits beingsubjected to over-tensions by the panels I.

The adjacent panels are connected on a portion of their adjoining sideedges by gussets 4 l0 constituted by cloth panels sewn on. either sideon each of said adjoining edges of adjacent panels I. The width of thesecloth panels is also so chosen as to allow the sail to spread out to themaximum, that is to'say to unfold in a 15 plane, in such a manner thatsaid cloth panels should not be subjected to any tension from the panelsI they connect.

These gussets 4 canextend from the leading edge to the trailing edge ofthe sail, or, on the contrary, they can be limited to the middle portionof the sail which is the main lifting zone.

When the sail spreads out at the time the shock at opening takes place,the sail can laterally extend to the necessary degree, the panels I ican freely move apart, the gussets 4 ensuring the connection betweenthem and allowing the sail to present, notwithstanding its extension, acontinuous surface.

The shock at opening is supported from this fact, not by the panels I orthe gussets 4, but by the'shroud lines 3 or the longitudinal reinforcingsennits 2.

After the shock at opening, owing to the reduction of the speed offall,-the gussets 4 pro 5 gressively diminish in amplitude until thespeed of fall of the sail reaches its lower limit.

The adjoining edges of the adjacent panels approximately come in contactwith each other, and the gussets 4 form so to speak pipes which 40 havefor efiect to still further reduce the speed of fall of the sail and toincrease its stability.

When the sail is provided with circular reinforcing sennits 5, thelatter can be interrupted between the various panels I, or, on thecontrary,

they can extend between the latter at the gussets.

desire to 1. A parachute comprising panels independent of each other,means secured to the upper edge of the said panels and joining thelatter with each other relative to the pole, shrouds secured to thelower edge of the panels and gussets each of which is secured along theside edges of two adjacent panels for uniting them.

2. A parachute comprising panels independent of each other, meanssecured along the side edges .of the said panels and joining the latterwith each other relative to the pole, shrouds secured to the lower edgeof the panels in the extension of the said means and gussets each oi!which is secured along the side edges of the two adjacent panels foruniting them.

3. A parachute comprising panels independent of each other, meanssecured along the side edges of the said panels joining the latter witheach other relative to the pole and extending at a certain distance fromthe lower edge of the said panels, shrouds each connected to the end oftwo means secured along the side edges of two adjacent panels andallowing of free play of the said panels relative to each other andgussets each of which is secured along the side edges of two adjacentpanels for uniting them.

4. A parachute comprising panels independen of each other, means securedalong the side edges of the said panels and joining the latter with eachother relative to the pole and extending at 4 a certain distance fromthe lower edge 01 the said panels, shrouds each connected to the end oftwo means secured along the side edges of two adjacent panels andgussets each of which is secured along side edges of two adjacent panelsfor unit- .ing them, said gussets having such a width that they are notsubjected to any tension Irom the panels which they unite even when theparachute is spread out to the maximum.

5. A parachute comprising panels independent 5 of each other, meanssecured along side edges of the said panels and joining the latter witheach other relative to the pole and extending at a certain distance fromthe lower edge of the said panels, shrouds each connected to the endsail and secured to the means adjoining the said" panels. a

6. A parachute comprising panels independent of each other, meanssecured along side edges of the said panels, joining the latter witheach other relative to the pole and extending at a certain distance fromthe lower edge of the said panels, shrouds each connected to the end oftwo means secured along the side edges or two adjacent panels, gussetseach of which is secured along side edges of two adjacent panels foruniting them and a cap arrang'ed at the pole of the sail and secured tothe means adjoining the said panels in such a manner that openings forthe escape of the air exist between the lower edge of the said cap andthe upper edge of the panels.

7. A parachute comprising panels independent of each other, meanssecured along side edges of the said panels, joining the latter witheach other relative to the pole and extending at a certain distance fromthe lower edge or the said panels, shrouds each connected to the end oftwo means secured along the side edges of two adjacent panels, gussetseach of which is secured along side edges of two adjacent panels forunit- 40 ing them and a cap arranged at the pole oi the sail and securedto the means adjoining the said panels in such a manner that openingsfor the escape of the air exist between the edge of the cap and theupper edge 0! the panels.

MARCEILE TRICAU.

